Island Lake board OKs Dowell Road study

The Island Lake village board moved Thursday to find out just what it owns on Dowell Road.

In a special voting committee meeting, trustees unanimously approved $1,250 for engineering firm Baxter and Woodman to research and document village limits on the roadway, which is also partially owned by Wauconda and Nunda townships.

"There's been some confusion," said Kevin Sutherland of Baxter and Woodman. "We don't want to guess any longer."

Trustee John Ponio said he was concerned there remained uncertainty about the boundaries of the municipalities in that area.

"I'm just curious why this wasn't done when we annexed the property," Ponio said.

The roadway became controversial earlier this year, when nearby residents and Wauconda Township officials said a proper speed study was not done on the road before its speed limit was lowered to 30 mph. In April, the board accepted the results of a speed study that showed Dowell's speed limit should be 35 mph. Other township portions of the road continue to have different speed limits.

Trustee Rich Garling said it was also important to work out with the other municipalities how the roads should be maintained, especially in the winter when snow plowing is an issue.

"It would make more sense ... that we go into an agreement," Garling suggested.

Trustee D.B. Saville said plowing was an emergency service that should be provided by whichever municipality can get to the road quickest.

"The safety of the public is paramount at that particular point," Saville said. "It's the potholes and the other responsibilities."

Saville added once boundaries are determined, duties can be worked out.

"It's a process," he said.